The activity judge walked on stage took the microphone and announced: "The winner of this year's Mr. LaCenter contest is Bryce …." At that point the entire room was filled with cheers and applause as everyone stood to congratulate the winner.

The small, mostly farming community where our children attended school had sponsored a "Mr. LaCenter" contest for years as a fundraiser for local charity. The young men who entered had to sing and play instruments for the crowd, while dressed in a costume of their own design. The entire town loved Bryce and was thrilled to have him win the year he graduated. He soon began working for Wal-Mart, where he earned several "Best Employee" awards.

But if a leading national doctor's group suggestion made this week had been followed by his parents, Bryce probably would never have been born. Why? Bryce is a bit different. He was born with Down syndrome.

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects one in 800 babies. Along with several distinctive features such as a flat face and short neck, Down syndrome children are born with some degree of cognitive disability. On the positive side, most of them are affectionate, loving, kind to others and display a "simple yet beautiful" approach to life.

Last week, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended earlier testing of all pregnant women in the United States, not just those over the age of 35. The group published a new set of guidelines in the January edition of the medical journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, advocating that earlier and more frequent testing would give some mothers and parents peace of mind.

Peace of Mind? The real message of the guidelines was not lost on the readers. The ACOG is now recommending that all pregnant women have a new type of test that can be done in the 11th week of pregnancy. If there is a high chance that their baby will be a Down syndrome, they can elect to "terminate" the fetus in the first trimester. The authors obviously assume that a woman will feel less guilt about terminating a baby if it occurs during the first trimester. After all, a mother usually doesn't feel a baby kicking in her womb before the second trimester.

Currently it is estimated that in the US 80% of all babies with Down syndrome or Cerebral Palsy are never allowed to breathe air or see sunshine. According to LifeNews.com, in the UK the official figure is 94% of women carrying babies with Down syndrome have abortions.

Rearing special needs children is often difficult. They require extra time, work, effort, and expense for the entire family. But, ask yourself, do they deserve the death penalty because they are a bit different from you and me?

The sad truth is that all but a small fraction of abortions performed today are done for the sake of convenience. And normally the argument that some babies pose a threat to the life of their mother is negated by the abilities of modern physicians.

The reality is that due to the circumstances of their pregnancy, many would-be mothers either believe or are convinced by others that the baby growing in their womb would be a burden or inconvenience. If the mother's life is going to be disrupted or she will have to sacrifice what she wants to do in order to raise this child, then the baby's life must be terminated. The conscience is eased because taking the life of the unborn has become socially acceptable.

The Bible is very clear that unborn babies are people and can be known before their birth. David and Isaiah both wrote that God knew them while they were in their mother's womb. Jeremiah and John the Baptist were given specific names and a divine calling while they were yet unborn. God's word contains examples of many women who were pregnant, some in very dire circumstances. In all of these examples every mother is happy to have a baby coming. The sad ones are those who could not give birth.

When my daughter was playing high school basketball I occasionally took Bryce to a game with me. He walked into the gym giving high fives and big smiles to everyone he knew. Bryce may have required more work and effort than the average child but he gives something special to everyone he knows. Those of us who count Bryce as our friend are thankful that his mother chose life.